Container closure



Nov. 28, 1961 E. GRONEMEYER ETAL 3,010,619

CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Oct. 15, 1957 INVENTORS Exam/w gee/v5; YER

wan/1 0/5234 United States Patent Patented Nov. 28, 1961 3,010,619CONTAINER CLOSURE Erich Gronerneyer, Pompton Plains, and Samuel Cherba,

Totowa, N.J., assiguors, by mesne assignments, to Container Corporationof America, Chicago, EL, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 15, 1957,Ser. No. 690,255 Claims. (Cl. 222-521) This invention relates to aclosure for a dispensing container. The closure is of particularadvantage, although it is not limited thereto, when employed with aspraytype container.

The invention has among its objects the provision of a novel, simple andeconomically made closure for containers of the dispensing type.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a closure whichallows dispensing of the material in the container while the closureremains on the container.

Another object is the provision of a closure of the type set forth inthe preceding paragraph wherein the closure remains sealed to thecontainer except at the dispensing orifice when the closure is in openposition, and which is strongly sealed to the container when the closureis in closed position.

Yet another object is the provision of a closure of the type indicatedwhich is easy to manipulate, and may be opened and closed quickly.

Still other objects of the invention are the provision of acontainer-attached closure having a selectively operable dispensingopening therein, and of a. closure which may be employed with aspray-type container to' provide an adjustable spray orifice.

Yet another object is the provision of a closure of the type indicatedwhich prevents waste of the material being dispensed, and which preventsthe deposition of any appreciable amount of such material on any of theouter surfaces of the closure and/or container.

A still further object is the provision of a closure having parts whichmay conveniently be made by being molded of plastic material.

j The above and further objects and novel features of the presentinvention will more fully appear from the following detailed descriptionwhen the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. Itis to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for thepurpose oi illustration only and are not intended as'a definition of thelimits of theinvention.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like partsthroughout the several views,

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary View in side elevation of a con tainer having aclosure made in accordance with the invention, parts of the container atthe sides and bottom thereof being broken away for economy of space;

FIG. 2 is a view in plan of the container and closure of P16. 1;

FIG. 3 is -a view in axial section through a radially inner part of theneck of the container, said part,- in the embodiment of the inventionshown, being madeseparately from the other, radially outer, ot'saidcontainer neck; 1

FIG. 4 is a view in axial section through the assembled closu're andcontainer neck, the parts of the closure and container neck being shownwith the closure in open; material-dispensing or spraying position; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but with the closure in closed,container-sealing position.

The closure of the illustrative embodiment of the in'v'ention, generallydesignated by the reference character 10, is shown associated with 21container generally designated 11 The container in the cmbodhnent shownand described may have flexible walls, and be made Of ficXiBl 2resilient plastic material such as polyethylene, whereby it functions asa squeeze-type spray bottle. It is to be expressly understood, however,that the closure of the invention may be employed to advantage withother types of containers, as well as those made of other materials.

In the container and closure assembly shown, the container 11 has anupper tubular extension 15, which may be integral with the body of thecontainer. Tubular extension 15 forms the radially outer portion of theneck 18 of the container. The radially inner portion of the neck 18, inthe illustrative embodiment, is formed as a separately made insert 14which sealingly telescopes within tubular extension 15. The closure 16is completed by -a closure member 12 in the form of a cap havingthreaded engagement with the radially outer portion 15 of the neck.

It is advantageous in some instances, as here, to make the radiallyinner portion of the neck as an insert. The container may then readilybe filled through extension 15 before insert 14 is assembled therein.Further, such construction in some instances allows the closure of theinvention to be applied to existing containers. It is to be understood,however, that in accordance with the invention the radially inner andouter portions of the container neck may he made as an integral piece.With such latter construction the container may be filled, for example,through openings such as that shown at 40 in the diaphragm 25 attachedto the radially inner portion of the neck, or the container may befilled through an opening in its bottom or side, the opening beingsealed thereafter.

The construction of the closure is such that the cap 12 may bepermanently retained on the container neck. When it is desired todispense the material in the container, the cap is unscrewed somewhat toretract it a short distance along the container. Thereupon an orifice 16in cap or closure member 12 is opened to allow the material in thecontainer to pass outwardly from the container through the orifice. Uponadvancing the cap 12 to fully tightened position on the container neck,the orifice 16is closed and sealed. In the closure of the invention theclosure member 12 remains sealed to the container neck in all itsoperative positions, including those when the member 12 is open and whenit is closed.

In the embodiment shown, the closure member is additionally sealed by asecond sealing means which becomes fully efiective when the closuremember approaches its fully closed position. As a result, the closure ofthe invention easily allows the container to be completely sealed and toremain fluid-tight, even though the container is subjected to relativelyhigh external pressure. Thus the closure of the invention allows thecontainers to be safely shipped in filled condition without thenecessity of providing any added container closing or sealing means.

Turning now to a detailed description or" the illustrative closure madein accordance with the inventioh, it will be seen that the inner wall 21of tubular extension 15 of the container 11 is generally circularcylindrical, and that insert 14' has a cylindrical body 17 having anouter sidewall 19 which snugly fits within extension 15. As aboveindicated, insert 14- is preferabl'y made of a flexible, resilient,self-sustaining plastic material such as polyethylene. To aid in theassembly of insert 14 in extension 15, the lower end of body 17 has afnlsto coni'cal shape at 20. The upper end of body 17 of the insert 14has a radially outwardly directed fiange 22 which overlies and abuts theupper edge of extension 15 so as to position the insert in theextension. Flange 22 in the embodiment shown has a radial depth nogreater than the thickness of the wall of extension- 15', whereby theflange may be received within cap 12'. Insert 14 is sealed to extension15 by an annular sealing means 24- interposed between the insert and theextension, in the illustrative embodiment means 24'being an annularouter ridge molded integral with body 17 of the insert. The diameter ofridge 17 is such that the ridge forceably engages wall 21 of theextension and effects a seal between it and the insert 14.

Integrally connected to the body 17 of insert 14 is a transverseplate-like diaphragm member 25 which, in the embodiment shown, ispositioned generally mid-waybetween the upper and lower ends of theinsert. Diaphragm 25 serves as the support for a central axiallyextending stem 26 (FIGS. 3 and 4) which carries on its upper free end aformation, to be described, cooperating with opening or orifice 15 incap 12 selectively to form a material-dispensing passage therewith or toclose such orifice, depending upon the positioning of cap 12.

The stem 25 is made in the form of a symmetrical elongated shape whichis hollow from and including its base portion attached to diaphragm 25to a location adjacent the orifice-stopping formation on its upper freeend. For a purpose which will be more fully explained hereinafter, thethickness of the sidewall 27 of stem 26 is preferably made somewhatthinner than the thickness of diaphragm 25.

Closure member or cap 12 is preferably made of a strong substantiallyrigid material.. In the disclosed embodiment it is molded of plasticmaterial. The upper end member 31, which overliesthe upper end of theneck 18 of the container, has an axially extending outer flange 32thereon, flange 32 being adapted to be telescoped over the neck, asshown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Flange 32 is internallythreaded at 34, suchthreads being adapted to engage external threads 35 on portion 15 of thecontainerneck. Threads 34 and 35 secure the cap to the container neckand allow the cap to be advanced to container-s'ealing position, inwhich orifice 16 in the cap is closed, or retracted to container-openposition in which orifice '16 in the cap is open, along the neck.

In the embodiment shown, orifice 16 is centrally lo cated and is ofoutwardly or upwardly converging conoidal shape symmetrical about thelongitudinal axis of the cap 12. The upper, free endof stem 26 has aconoidal' formation thereon somewhat. similar to the shape of orifice 16, but preferably having an apex angle A, when in its relaxed state,which is somewhat less than the apex angle B of orifice 16. In anillustrative, non-limiting embodiment the angle A equals 80 degrees andthe angle B equals 85 degrees. The parts of the closure are preferablyso constructed and arranged that when the cap 12 is advanced tocontainer-closed position (FIG. the upper end surface 29 of stem 26 liessubstantially flush with the uppersurface of end member 31 of cap 12. Inthe closed position of FIG. 5 the conoidal surface 30 of stem 26strongly sealingly'engages the conoidal surface 39 of orifice 16 in cap12.

When the cap 12 is retracted somewhat along the neck of the container,as shown in FIG. 4, the surfaces 30 and 39 lie spaced from each other sothat orifice 16 is open.,

In such position of the cap the contents of the container may bedispensed through the open orifice, in the con-' tainer shown thecontainer 11 being squeezed, and the passage formed between surfaces 30and 39 serving as a spray nozzle. The eflective area of suchpassage,'and

. thus the character of the spray discharge, may be varied by suitableadjustment of the cap along the neck of the container. Communicationbetween the interior of the container and the spray passage in theclosure is afforded by one or more openings in the diaphragm 25'. 'Onesuch opening in thediaphragm is shown at 40.

It will be appreciated that appreciable pressure is developed within thecontainer when the container is dition. Such (first) sealing means, inthe illustrative embodiment, includes an inner annular skirt 36 integralwith cap 12, the skirt lying parallel to flange 32 and having an outercircular cylindrical surface 33 coaxial of the cap. The skirt 36 hassuch inner and outer diameters that it is telescopically received Withinthe annular space between the upper sidewall of insert 14 and the stem26, that the outer surface 33 thereof closely confronts inner surface 23of the insert, and that the inner peripheral surface of the skirt isspaced somewhat from the outer longitudinal surface of stem 26. V

The sealing means is completed by an annular resilient member 28sealingly interposed between the inner sidewall of insert 14 and theouter surface of skirt 36. Member 28 is shown as being a radiallyinwardly projecting annular ridge which is integral with insert 14;ridge 28 is of such relaxed radial height that it is resilientlydeformed sufficiently by skirt 36 to seal members 14 and 36 againstleakage under any pressures normally developed within container 11during material dispensing operations.

In order still more securely to seal the cap to the container when thecap is in closed position, there is provided, in the illustrativeembodiment, a second sealing means which is interposed between the firstsealing means 28, 33 and the screw threads 34, 35, said second sealingmeans being operable additionally to seal the closure member or'cap tothe container neck when the closure member is fullyadvanced to closedposition on the neck.

The second sealing means shown is in the form of two concentric ridges41 on the upper annular surface of flange 22 of insert 14, said ridges41 cooperating with the annular upper surface 37 of the recess 38 in cap12 which lies between flange 32 and skirt 36. As shown, recess 38receives flange 22 within it when the parts are assembled as in FIGS. 4and 5. The ridges 41 may if desired, have such relaxed height that theyfirst sealingly contact surface 37 of the cap when the cap approachesthe closed position shown in FIG. 5. In such closed position, theclosure is sealed to the container so as to withstand relatively highpressures to which the container might occasionally be subjected, asduring ship-' ment.

It will be understood from the above that'when the closure member or cap12 is in the open position of FIG. 4, when the fluid contents ofcontainer 11 are subjected to pressure, as by squeezing the container,the fluid is forced upwardly through the one or more openings 40 indiaphragm 25, through the passage between skirt 36 and stem 26, and outthrough the passage between the surface 39 of opening 16 in the cap andthe surface 30 on the upper free end of stem 26. With the parts havingthe configurations and dimensions shown and described, when the cap 12is tightened to the closed position of FIG. 5, the surface 30 on stem26, the sidewall 27 of the stem, and the diaphragm 25 are distorted asshown in that figure, thereby to maintain the surfaces 30 and 39forceably in sealing contact.

' As we have seen, surface 30 has an apex angle somewhat less than thatof surface 39. The stem 26 is of such axial height and surfaces 30 and39 are so dimensioned that when the cap 12 is screwed downwardly fromthe position of FIG. 4 the upper smaller diametered edge of surface 30on the stern first contacts surface 39 on the cap along an annular linesomewhat below the upper gressively increases in vertical width until inthe'closed squeezed as described. Consequently the closure of theinvention includes means which seals the movable part of the closure tothe neck of the bottle at all times, regardless of whether the closureisin open or closed conposition of FIG. 5 a very substantial V proportionof surface 30 is in contact with surface 39.

As cap 12 is screwed towardiclosed position, the engagement betweensurfaces '30 and 39 causes stem 26 to be placed under increasingcompression, and causes diaphragm 25 to be subjected to an increasingdownward thrust. As a result, the walls of stem 26 are resilient bowedoutwardly, as indicated at 27' in FIG. 5, and the diaphragm 25 isresiliently bowed downwardly, as indicated at 25'. Such resilientdistortion of the stem and diaphragm constantly maintain the surface 30of the stem in sealing contact with surface 39 of the orifice 16 of cap12.

The outward flexing of walls 27 of the stem is aided by the describedinteraction of surfaces 30 and 39. Since stem 26 is hollow up to a zoneimmediately adjacent surface 30, the effective increase in the apexangle of surface 30 as surface 39 advances relative thereto causes eachelement of the stem 26 immediately below surface 30 thereon to tend topivot in a radially outward direction, thereby bowing the wall of thestem outwardly in a symmetrical manner around the stem.

The progressive approach of surfaces 30 and 39 from adjacent their upperouter ends as the cap 12 is tightened also is of advantage in minimizingthe amount of fluid material which remains on the upper surface ofportion 31 of the cap after the cap-is placed in the closed'position ofFIG. 5. It will be seen that the described progressive approach ofsurfaces 30 and 39 as the cap is screwed toward the position of FIG. 5produces a squeegee action which forces most of the dispensed materialremaining on surfaces 30 and 39, when the closure is in the position ofFIG. 4, downwardly into the passage between skirt 36 and stem 26. Suchmaterial then flows downwardly to the drip well constituted by thediaphragm 25, the base of stem 26, and the upper sidewall 17 of insert14, escaping from the drip well into the container proper through theone or more openings 40.

Although only a limited number of embodiments of the invention have beenillustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in the foregoingspecification, it is to be expressly understood that various changes,such as in the relative dimensions in the parts, materials used, and thelike as well as the suggested manner of use of the apparatus of theinvention, may be made therein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as will now be apparent to those skilled in theart.

What is claimed is:

1. A container having a tubular neck formed of flexible resilientplastic material, a closure member for the container, the closure memberbeing made of material which is hard and inflexible compared to thecontainer neck, said closure member having an end portion adapted to fitover the end of the neck and an outer skirt portion adapted to telescopeover the neck, interfitting screw threads on the interior of the outerskirt and the exterior of the neck whereby the closure member is securedto the neck and may be advanced onto the neck to close the neck orretracted along the neck to open the neck, means to seal the closuremember to the neck throughout an appreciable range of movement of theclosure member from and including its fully advanced position on theneck, said last named means comprising an inner skirt attached to theend portion of the closure member coaxial of the outer skirt and lyingwithin, spaced from, and confronting the inner surface of the neck, andflexible resilient sealing means having an annular bead interposedbetween the inner skirt and the inner surface of the neck and lying in atransverse plane which is at least close to the transverse zone of thethreads on the neck, the end portion of the closure member having acentral opening, a central stem member extending axially toward the 6plastic material, the stern member having a formatioii at its free endwhich seals the opening in the closure member when the latter is in itsfully advanced position.

2. A container as defined in claim 1, wherein the radially inner portionof the neck is formed as an inseit separate from the radially outerportion of the neck, and comprising means to seal the insert to theradially outer portion of the neck and to retain the insert againstmovement axially inwardly of such radially outer portion of the neck.

3. A container as defined in claim I, wherein there is a further sealingmeans between the closure member and the neck, said further means beinginterposed between the first recited sealing means and the screw threadsand being operable additionally to seal the closure member to the neckwhen the closure member is fully advanced on the neck, the end portionof the closure member between the inner and outer skirts having anannular inner surface disposed generally transversely to thelongitudinal extents of the skirts, the further sealing means includingan annular seal-ing bead interposed between said annular inner surfaceon the closure member and the outer annular end of the neck, saidannular sealing bead being integral with one of said closure member orannular end of the neck.

4. A container having a tubular neck formed of flexible resilientplastic material, the radially inner portion of the neck being formed asan insert separate from the radially outer portion of the neck, means toseal the insert to the radially outer portion of the neck and to retainthe insert against movement axially inwardly of such radially outerportion of the neck, said last named means including a radiallyoutwardly directed flange at the upper end of the insert, said flangeoverlying the upper edge of the radially inner portion of the neck, aclosure member for the container, the closure member being made ofmaterial which is hard and inflexible compared to the container neck,said closure member having an end portion adapted to fit over the end ofthe neck and an outer skirt portion adapted to telescope over the neck,interfitting screw threads on the interior of the outer skirt and theexterior of the neck whereby the closure member is secured to the neckand may be advanced onto the neck to close the neck or retracted alongthe neck to open the neck, means to seal the closure member to the neckthroughout an appreciable range of movement of the closure member fromand including its fully advanced position on the neck, said last namedmeans comprising an inner skirt attached to the end portion of theclosure member coaxial of the outer skirt and lying within, spaced from,and confronting the inner surface of the neck, and flexible resilientsealing means having an annular bead interposed between the inner skirtand the inner surface of the neck and lying in a transverse plane whichis at least close to the transverse zone of the threads on the neck, theend portion of the closure member having a central opening, a centralstem member extending axially toward the closure member and disposedwithin the neck, means attaching the stern member to the neck, at leastone passage through such attaching means furnishing communicationbetween the interior of the container and v the opening in the endportion of the closure member when the closure member is retracted, thestem member closure member and disposed within the neck, means ating inthe end portion of the closure member when the closure member isretracted, the stem member and the means attaching it to the neck beingformed of resilient member and the neck, the further sealing meansincluding an annular sealing means interposed between an annular innersurface on the end portion of the closure member and the outer annularend of the neck, said annular sealing means comprising at least oneupstanding annular rib on the upper surface of the flange on the insert.

5. A container having a tubular neck formed of flexible resilientplastic material, a closure member for the container, the closure memberbeing made of material which is hard and inflexible compared to thecontainer neck, said closure member having an end portion adapted to fitover the end of the neck and an outer skirt portion adapted to telescopeover the neck, interfitting screw threads on the interior of the outerskirt and the exterior of the neck whereby the closure member is securedto the neck and may be advanced onto the neck to close the neck orretracted along the neck 1:00pm the neck, means to seal the closuremember to the neck throughout an appreciable range of movement of theclosure member from and including its fully advanced position on theneck, said last named means comprising an inner skirt attached to theend portion of, the closure member coaxial of the outer skirt and lyingwithin, spaced from, and confronting the inner surface of the neck, andflexible resilient sealing means having an annular bead interposedbetween the inner skirt and the inner surface of the neck and lying in atransverse plane which is at least close to the transverse zone of thethreads on the neck, the end portion of the closure member having acentral opening, a central stem member extending axially toward theclosure member and disposed within the neck, means atsage through suchattaching means furnishing communication between the interior of thecontainer and the opening. in the end portion of the closure member whenthe closure member is retracted, the stem member and the means attachingit to the neck being formed of resilient plastic material, the stemmember having a formation at its free end which seals the opening in theclosure member when the latter is in its fully advanced position, and afurther sealing means between the closure member and the neck, thefurther sealing means including an annular sealing means interposedbetween an annular inner surface on the end portion of the closuremember and the outer annular end of the neck, said annular sealing meanscomprising at least one upstanding annular rib on the outer annular endof the neck.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,904,739 Kroen Apr. 18, 1933 2,591,231 Boadway Apr. 1,' 1952 2,715,480Livingstone Aug. 16, 1955 2,759,643 Dahlin -Q. Aug. 21, 1956 2,838,215Robb et a1. June 10, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS V 1 184,866 Austria Mar. 10,1956

